The Gambler
by ellabella89
Summary: A collection of oneshots of Rapunzel and Eugene's life as they experience the joys and sorrows that it provides. Post movie. Lot's of Eug/Rap fluff. The chapters are not in chronological order, but they follow the lyrics of Fun.'s The Gambler, hence the title. Will be updated weekly on Monday's. Epilogue is up.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello Tangled fandom! This is the prologue of a four chapter story (six if you include prologue & epilogue) about Rapunzel and Eugene's life together. You could think of this as a series of oneshots that are not in chronological order, but they involve elements of previous or coming chapters. It's based off of Fun.'s song The Gambler, hence the title. It's going to be an adventure. Enjoy!_

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**Slow down, we've got time left to be lazy**  
**All the kids are bloom from babies into flowers in our eyes**  
**We've got fifty good years left to spend out in the garden**  
**I don't care to beg your pardon, we should live until we die**

"Eugene!" I scolded him as he purposefully kept walking away, ignoring my request. "Come here." I ordered. He stopped, staying in place as he debated whether or not to listen. Finally he turned on his heel, not meeting my eyes until he was a few steps away.

We were in the palace courtyard, the sun shining low on the horizon, another perfect summer day past. We decided to walk around the grounds of the castle, just for some time for ourselves after the busy month. Corona had to renegotiate peace treaties with other kingdoms and it was a long, grueling process for everyone involved.

Eugene and I had been King and Queen of Corona for a little over four years, after my mother's passing, and due to my father's loneliness. But they had a long and successful rule, as it were; Eugene and I were more than ready to take over the duties that the kingdom provided for us. But while we waited for our time patiently, two perfect heirs were produced, our son Xavier and our daughter Elizabeth. Already grown, they were leading lives here in the palace, Xavier in finances, for he had his father's knack of presenting a price on any item, and Elizabeth in foreign affairs. She travelled often with her husband to neighbouring kingdoms, improving our relations with them. Xavier, the first born, was simultaneously learning how to run the kingdom, but gradually. Eugene and I had just delved into our reign, after all.

We were very proud of our children and their successes. It was a bit of a relief that they turned out okay after the unusual upbringings that Eugene and I had. But now, without the responsibilities as parents, we were more than happy to run the peaceful and prosperous kingdom. Other than the peace treaties, there was little to tend to in the next few years. My parents had left the kingdom to us in good repair.

So, to enjoy the quiet of our lives, we had decided to go on a walk. Eugene, even in his older age, had the energy of a child, and was always actively doing something. Whether going hunting with some of the other royals, or taking us on an excursion into the village, he had to be moving. It was sometimes exhausting, especially when I was with child, but I admired that quality about him and often found myself tagging along. Once we got around the perimeter of the castle and into the court yard, I made a small comment on how the hive had returned. I didn't mean for him to rush off and take care of it that very instant, but that's what he perceived from the statement.

"Relax," I told him, taking the step forward to rest my hand on his cheek. His hand came up to dwarf mine and hold it there, smiling sheepishly at me. I smiled back, leaning it for a light kiss. He gladly returned it, before pulling back, taking my hand to tuck in his arm and we continued our stroll.

"You've got to slow down before you burn yourself out." I said jokingly, nudging him slightly.

"I'm hurt, Blondie," he said, pressing a hand against his heart. "You think that this magnificent being could possibly burn out?"

"I'm just saying that we have the rest of our lives to relax and not rush anything."

"I know. I'm looking forward to it immensely." He waggled his brows at me. I could only laugh. Twenty five years of marriage and we still got the heat. Eugene certainly aided to keep the flame alight with his constant flirting.

"That would make the two of us." I added, giving him a seductive smirk of my own.

Smirking at me, he diverted our course from the garden, where we usually would sit until the sun was gone, to the castle entrance, the intent clear.

I wasn't about to stop him.

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_How was it? Terrible? Awesome? Let me know! I'll be updating again on the tenth of September. :)_

_Chapter preview:_

Our daughter laughed from the side, clapping her hands to the music that Rapunzel provided with her voice. I watched hypnotised, her voice sending me into a trance that left my heart pounding. The swirl of her skirts and the utter joy in her expression as she taught Xavier the dance was absolute perfection.

_R&R for me please :)_

_Love, Ella_


	2. Chapter 2

_Well, thanks for the lone review! :P I still loved it though, here's the next chapter, as scheduled. It's also rather short, but next week it's super long, just to make up for it :) Enjoy. :D_

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**We were barely eighteen when we crossed collective hearts**  
**It was cold, but it got warm when you barely crossed my eye**  
**And you turned, put out your hand, and you asked me to dance**  
**I knew nothing of romance, but it was love at second sight**

I smiled as I watched Rapunzel bow to our son before taking both his hands and leading him in dance. It was the same one from that fateful eighteenth birthday in the village courtyard. Our daughter laughed from the side, clapping her hands to the music that Rapunzel provided with her voice. I watched hypnotised, her voice sending me into a trance that left my heart pounding. The swirl of her skirts and the utter joy in her expression as she taught Xavier the dance was absolute perfection.

I moved away from the first story window to join the fun, willing to provide a proper example for the children to watch from. It was just moments to move to the garden where they resided, where I surprised Elizabeth by taking her hand. Without protest, she followed me to the dance floor where did our best to join the fast paced dance. We laughed after not much success and decided wordlessly to follow our own rhythm. She stood on the toes of my boots, holding onto my leg to keep her balance. She looked up giggling, and I joined her laughter as I lead us through a much slower dance than the one my wife and son were doing.

The hand not clutching my leg was grabbing my hand tightly, and I marveled at how much she had grown in the last year. Her hand was still tiny, only able to wrap around two of my fingers, but it was a vast improvement from last time I took notice. It seemed like yesterday when I couldn't put her down, but now, here she was, nearly too old to be held in my arms anymore. It saddened me, knowing that she was growing up so fast, looking more and more like her mother with each passing day. Soon she was going to be a young lady and then married off, where I would have to give her away. The thought had me grimace. I put the thoughts out my head quickly, deciding that I had to live in the moment.

Rapunzel's song had come to an end, and we all separated, clapping. The palace landscapers that had seen the spectacle started clapping as well, large smiles across their faces. We laughed in embarrassment, but took our bows.

"Now, children that was just a practise round." I announced, stepping up to my wife with a smirk. "We'll show you how the dance was really done." I held up my arms, waiting for her to move into them.

Raising her brow, she accepted the challenge, placing her hand in mine and the other on my shoulder. We needed no music, nor a count in. Both of us were transported to the day of her eighteenth birthday, the day where I fell for her harder than I had ever fallen off Maximus. Though her hair was no longer blonde, she was just as gorgeous, her brilliant green eyes enrapturing me the same way they had that day. She was enchanting, but even more so with the memories that we had compiled together over the years. The ambiance from the town square played in my ears through memory as I lead her through the same dance steps, clapping and skipping and turning the very same way. We went through the whole dance, ending up breathless in each other arms, identical to our stance seven years ago. But instead of awkwardly separating, I bent down to kiss her, ignoring the way the children groaned and gagged at our affections. We smiled into each other's lips, separating to not torture our children any further.

"And that's how you do it." I proclaimed, twirling Rapunzel so we could face them, holding her hand between us. We took our bows before letting go.

"I'm not kissing anyone." Xavier said seriously.

Rapunzel laughed, looking at me with bright eyes. I looked back, hoping that my feelings reflected hers. Judging by her increased smile, I assumed as much. Taking her hand once again, we went to sit on the bench together. We watched as our children practised the dance. The dance that was so much more than just a dance for their parents.

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_Hope you liked it! R&R for me pretty please! I would like to know if it sucks or not, but by the reaction so far, it isn't too good. :P I'll keep going though, even if no one cares too much. _

_Love, Ella._


	3. Chapter 3

_Back again! I can't believe I actually remember to update on Mondays. It's an incredible privledge for all you readers. _

_I would like to give a special shout out to some reviewers. I was being rather whiney in my last authors note, but you were all so supportive and caring. It warmed my heart immensely. First goes to BrittneyluvsChrist, who was all over this story like ugly on an ape. :) Thanks for that. Umbre0n is next on my list: Thanks for the positive feedback! TheVampireChickWithNoFangz, you are amazing. Enough said. Your reviews got me out of bed in the morning. :D Lissa Salvatore, you're pretty awesome too. :D _

_Now, you all deserve an extra long chapter for your support. Enjoy!_

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**I swear when I grow up I won't just buy you a rose**  
**I will buy the flower shop, and you will never be lonely**  
**For even if the sun stops waking up over the fields**  
**I will not leave, I will not leave 'til it's on time**  
**So just take my hand, you know that I will never leave your side**

"Blondie!" I called, looking briefly in a passing room before moving on. "Rapunzel!" I yelled again, listening carefully for a response or any indication of her whereabouts. I had a surprise for her, for our one year anniversary, and yet I hadn't seen her since breakfast that morning. It was just starting to worry me.

"Rapun- oh!" I halted quickly, seeing her father right in front of me.

The man was intimidating, that was for sure, but in the past year we've seen eye to eye on many subjects, which lead to our mutual respect for one another. But I don't think he appreciated the way I was summoning Rapunzel, if his scowl was anything to go by.

"Mr. Fitzherbert," He greeted calmly, while I winced. We were definitely on a first name basis, so the formalities meant I was in trouble. "If you're done with your rambunctious behavior, may I suggest looking for Rapunzel in the library? It's a much quieter setting there." The implication was clear. _Shut my damn mouth._

I winced again, apologies already spilling out of my mouth.

"No need. Just see to her." He dismissed me as he walked past me, hands clasped behind his back. I watched him for a minute, admiring the confidence and absolute power the man strolled with before taking his advice and heading toward the castle library. It wasn't uncommon for Rapunzel to pass days in the library, reading everything she felt she missed out on in the first eighteen years of her life. I smiled at her endurance as I turned the corner that led me to the massive wooden doors of the library.

Taking a breath, I quickly straightened my vest and pushed my hair back before pushing the doors open. Looking around, I immediately knew that she was in her nook of the library, the one near the fire place, giant window, and the fiction novels. The one that I had found and claimed and she had stolen from me with her feminine willies.

I took my time going over there, trying to figure out how I was going to get her to come to town with me without her becoming too suspicious. It was going to be difficult due to her natural curiosity, but I prided myself in my smooth talking.

When I came across her reading space, I watched her for a minute, thanking fate and destiny for bringing me to her tower a year ago. She was contorted in an arm chair, almost indecently by the way her dress rode up her legs. One leg was over an armrest, bouncing slightly in an irregular pattern, while the other stretched up the back of the chair. Her brown hair, which had stayed at a short length, looked comical as she read upside down. The book was held in front of her face, keeping me hidden while I took in the rest of her surroundings. There was a stack of books near the chair, teetering slightly. A tray with the makings for tea had been completely ignored for the cup hadn't even been turned over. This was typical of Rapunzel when she went on a reading rampage. She often forgot to take care of herself in light of all her new knowledge.

I cleared my throat, stepping forward as she relaxed her arms, holding the book while she let it drop against the floor. Her eyebrows screwed in confusion before her expression cleared into a smile when she realized it was me.

"Eugene!" she exclaimed, twisting gracefully so she was kneeling on the arm chair. I walked up to her, wrapping her in my arms briefly before pulling away. I nodded toward the stack of books, smiling.

"Been busy?" I asked lightly, enjoying the way she never kept her hands to herself, her fingertips running along my jaw. She only nodded, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

"I have a surprise for you." I tried again.

That got a reaction.

"You didn't have to do that." She said, but her smile still brightened along with her curiosity in her eyes at the prospect.

"I know, but I wanted to do something for our anniversary." I murmured. As soon as I said that though, she was pulling away from me, her eyes wide with what looked like embarrassment.

"What's wrong, Blondie?" I asked, surprised at her reaction. I knew she had forgotten, but it didn't bother me the slightest. I had barely remembered myself, so I wasn't going to hold it against her.

"Oh my...I'm so sorry, Eugene. I completely forgot, I didn't even realise that's why you were here...I'm sorry." Her voice broke how it did when she was on the verge of tears. I looked at her, alarmed to see that indeed tears were in her eyes.

"Rapunzel," I started, quickly manoeuvring us so we sat in the chair together, her sitting on my lap. "It's okay, I know, but I'm not upset. So you don't have to be." She only looked at me, her lower lip sticking out slightly. "I don't blame you, there are a bit more important things going on in your life right now."

"But that's still no excuse for me forgetting."

I shrugged.

"I think it's a perfectly reasonable excuse. But now, we can celebrate it together, since we both are aware that it's today."

"But I forgot, just because I was caught up in a book! Doesn't that frustrate you? Doesn't it get on your nerves?!"

"I don't understand Rapunzel." I started slowly, carefully. "Why would that bother me?" My precautions were a waste, for in the next instant she scrambled off my lap to start pacing in front of the chair.

"That my mind is so far gone that I can't even remember the anniversary of one of the most important dates of my_ life_!" Her hands moved expressively as I watched her presentation in silence. "After everything you've done for me Eugene, and I still can't keep facts that are relevant to us in order!" She started running a hand through her hair roughly, a replacement habit to fiddling with a piece of her longer hair. "Ask me _anything_ about the history of Corona and I can riddle off important occasions without even _thinking_ about it, but when I have to remember the day that I _finally_ had all my dreams come true after _eighteen _years of waiting, I'm left completely blank! It's unfair to you, Eugene! I don't know how you manage to put up with all of my...inconsistencies, but it has to be a trying affair."

"Rapunzel, I didn't fall in love with your sense of order and regularity. I fell in love with your curiosity and courage. And if that means week-long reading sessions, that's okay with me."

"But that's not what you were expecting was it!?"

"Actually, based on the time we spent at the book store on your eighteenth -"

She continued like I hadn't spoken.

"No! It wasn't! And I see how the other ladies of the castle look at you, and they are all eligible and pretty..." she finally stopped moving to face me, setting her shoulders and swallowing hard. "If you feel like you'd rather find someone that was more interesting, I'd wish you all the best and happiness."

I was stunned. _That's_ what she's been stewing on this whole time? I could tell it pained her to say that, the way her voice sounded shaky and how the tears that had left during her rant had reappeared. I couldn't believe that she was so selfless about the whole ordeal. She was giving me an out that I didn't need nor did want, even if that put her emotional state in ruins. She did it for my happiness and well being, even though it killed her to do it. Honestly, it was tearing me apart that I lead her to believe I wanted out of the relationship. Thinking about it, I should have known that her wonderful imagination would lead to this extreme conclusion. To leave her because she liked to read or forgot the date was outrageous. I didn't have a life without Rapunzel, ever since she tied me up with her hair and forced me to act as her guide.

It took me a minute to process all of this, and realize that I would have to put all of her worries at ease. I kept my eyes on her as pushed myself out of the arm chair, staying at her eye level. She refused to meet my eyes though, looking at the ground with her arms folded tightly in front of her chest. I tilted her chin up, losing myself in the rich green of her irises, looking carefully for the emotion I wanted.

"Do you want me to leave Rapunzel?" I asked, searching her eyes.

"If you want to, I won't stop you-"

"That's not what I asked." I cut her off, waiting for her reply.

She looked in my eyes with fervor, while I watched the conflict in hers. I watched the battle, satisfied when her selfishness won.

"No." She whispered.

"Then I don't want to leave."

I held her eyes a bit longer, hoping that sincerity was apparent in mine.

She nodded slowly before wrapping her arms around my neck and burrowing her face in my neck. I shivered slightly as her breath tickled my skin, but smiled all the same.

"I'm glad that's settled then." I mumbled in her ear. She pulled back, bringing a hand to rest on my face gently.

"I still feel rotten for forgetting." She smiled uncertainly, traces of doubt still in her eyes.

"Well, let's go see the surprise, and then I'll let you know if there's any way you can redeem yourself afterwards." I told her, smirking at her. She quickly got the idea I was implying before rolling her eyes and removing her hand to take one of mine. She allowed me to lead her out of the nook, the library, and eventually the castle grounds towards the town.

"Where are you taking me?" she wondered aloud as we strolled along, smiling at the happy townsfolk.

"You'll see."

When we approached our destination, I stopped us both, tossing a coin to a vendor selling scarves to the side of us. Rapunzel and the vendor looked at me in curiosity.

"I'll return it, but just for insurance" I said to the happy man behind the counter. I'm sure he didn't mind business from the princess of Corona.

"Now Blondie," I said, moving behind her while I carefully folded the scarf. When it was in a long strip, wide enough to cover her doll eyes, I tied it around her head, careful to not catch her hair in the knot. "I would ask you to close your eyes, but since you're a chronic cheater, I'm taking extra precautions."

"That was one time, and you weren't holding your cards up. It was impossible not to see your hand." She huffed. I smirked, knowing that would be her reaction.

"Nevertheless," I breathed as I finished the knot.

I stepped in front of her, taking both of her hands in mine. I lead her forward, looking behind me every few steps to avoid a collision.

"That's it, now we're coming up to a step..." she trusted me easily, listening attentively to my instructions. I knew that as soon as we crossed the threshold of the building, she would know where we are from her remaining senses, but it was still fun to keep it a surprise as long as possible.

The bell above the door rung gently, signalling our arrival.

I moved behind her once again to undo the knot, letting the blind slip away from her eyes. Her gasp was one I cherished, knowing that I did something right.

"It's surprising what the folk around here will help you with, especially when you say it's for the princess." She didn't answer, but moved closer to what I helped create for her.

The flower shop, which for today's purposes, was converted to have the floor bare of any stalls holding the plants. In the space the store provided was a collage of the most brightly coloured flowers, arranged to look like her tower, the lanterns, and even Pascal and Maximus. I left me and her out, because it was proven very difficult to make humans out of flowers. It was abstract but fit Rapunzel's taste perfectly.

I watched with pride as she walked around it, crouching in places to touch the petals, twisting her head this way and that to get the whole effect of the mosaic-like project.

"Eugene, it's incredible!" she said in a hushed tone, looking at me with a giant smile. "I can't believe you did this for me!"

I was surprised for the sudden attack, but caught her all the same, enveloping her in my arms as she nearly choked me with her tight hug. She eventually let go, but I held her close. Smiling at her, I told her the second part of the gift, if she chose to accept it.

"Now, flowers don't last forever, unfortunately, but I think I might have a solution. But you would have to do all the work."

She turned in my arms, leaning against me as we both looked at the assortment of flowers.

"What do you want me to do? Paint it?" she wondered aloud.

"Exactly."

"What?! But what about the store? They'll still want to sell other flowers! I can't interrupt their livelihoods for a bit of leisure."

"It's all taken care of. The owner was happy to allow you in here whenever you would like, but he suggests the morning when the light is the best." I didn't need to tell her that he was on a paid vacation by yours truly. "You can set up an easel, I'll help bring your paints here, and you can spend as long as you want. Though, there isn't too much time before the flowers wilt. But I'm sure you can do it."

She turned in my arms again, pulling at my lapels for me to bend down. Our noses touching, she grinned again.

"Thank you, Eugene, for the best anniversary present ever." Then she was kissing me just like in the tower after I died. I grinned before reciprocating, very happy, and very in love with the girl in my arms.

"Oh, and one more thing." I said, pulling away and leading her to the backroom of the flower shop. The yipping gave away the last surprise, and I heard Rapunzel squeal in delight.

"For you." I said, scooping up the puppy in my arms and turning around. "So you will never be lonely." Rapunzel was instantly taken to him, rubbing his soft fluffy ears and cooing. The dog reciprocated, giving her sloppy kisses with his tongue.

"What's its name?" she asked, still looking at the puppy rather than me.

"It's a he, and I thought you would like to name him."

"We should name him after something special in our life...one of the pub thugs perhaps?"

"Not Hookhand. That's a terrible name for a dog."

"Ulf?"

"No."

"Atilla?"

"The cupcake maker? Pass."

"We're not naming him Bruiser or Killer. He's too cute for a violent name."

"Fang?"

"No! He has little puppy teeth!"

"Vladimir." We said together, smiling in agreement.

"It's perfect." She said, petting the dog once again.

"We'll bring him back to the castle now, so he can get used to it."

Rapunzel stretched on her tippy toes to reach my lips, and I kissed her back. There was a bark between us and we broke apart laughing.

Rapunzel wanted to start the painting immediately, hoping to catch all the brilliant colours while they were still healthy and to introduce Vladimir to her parents. I grabbed a length of rope that I had been using as a leash, tying it around the puppy's neck gently. We set out back to the castle, but not before I returned the scarf to the merchant and told him to keep the coin. I smirked as I watched Rapunzel take off ahead of me. One day, I would be back to buy a scarf to be used for...different intentions, maybe for next year's anniversary.

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_Hope it makes up for the lousy chapters before. I mean, they had no meat on them. This was like a whale with all the blubber in it. :)_

_ I would also like to say I won't be giving shout outs to reviews on every chapter, but hopefully it will be happen again as this story progresses. As always, review, but I won't feel too bad if you don't. I was spoiled with love before. :) But then again, this is a pretty great chapter, with lots of stuff going on... ;) Do as your please, I'll be leaving you now. _

_Love, Ella._


	4. Chapter 4

_Well hello again. Another chapter, this one set later in their lives. Elizabeth and Xavier are all grown up, and Eugene gets into a detailed description of his children. :) The italics in the story is straight from the letter, just so you know. Enjoy!_

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**It was the winter of '86, all the fields had frozen over**  
**So we moved to Arizona to save our only son**  
**And now he's turned into a man, though he thinks just like his mother**  
**He believes we're all just lovers, he sees hope in everyone**

**And even though she moved away, we always get calls from our daughter**  
**She has eyes just like her father's, they are blue when skies are gray**  
**And just like him she never stops, never takes the day for granted**  
**Works for everything that's handed to her, never once complained**

I chuckled at the Vladimir's antics as Rapunzel and I sat in front of the fire place, the one in our nook of the library. Rapunzel looked at me, smiling just because I was, before turning back to her story. She had recently taken a liking to the adventure stories, specifically The Adventures of Flynnagan Rider.

Our life was very quiet this time of year. The snow kept foreign visitors away and chased the people inside for fear of sickness. A particularly harsh storm blew at the castle walls at the moment, howling and screaming through the windows, desperate to get inside. I only glanced at the large window before flipping the page of the book I was enjoying, the most updated version of Corona history book.

I was nearing the end, the part that I cared most about. It included the late king and queen's reign and the horror of the lost princess. Years after her reunion with her parents, the story of her return was added in the pages, briefly mentioning me. Then after both of her parents died, it was updated with the newest rulers, and their heirs. I read the impersonal biography of my wife and kids, wrinkling my nose in distaste. There was a portrait on one page, hand painted for the royal library. It was of our family at its early stages of life, Rapunzel holding a baby Elizabeth in her arms while she sat on a extravagant seat, my hand on her shoulder with Xavier standing like a small solider in front of me.

I touched the faces lightly, smiling at the stoic expressions. We looked so uncaring, like harsh bitter rulers with no love for our people. We barely looked like a family, based on our hair alone. Rapunzel and I had our brown hair, but to our surprise, our children had hair as golden as hers used to be. We had some suspicions about the magic, but otherwise ignored it. Rapunzel's parents had a much better portrait, with actual smiles, and we had some of those too, but the one they were filing in history was poorly reflective of my family.

I studied each face individually, picking out the characteristics that became more developed as the children grew. Xavier for starters, had my nose, and for once, the royal artists got both of our noses right. I wasn't disappointed when he acquired Blondie's brilliant green eyes which were the first sign that he was defiantly his mother's child. Elizabeth's eyes were intelligent even at that age, judging you from her paper stare.

Much like Rapunzel, Xavier was always very curious of the world around him, and we allowed him as much freedom to state his curiosity as needed. With endless amounts of energy, he made for a poor student, but was near genius, remembering pages from a book word for word. When he started in maths, he excelled and found his talent within the numbers. As he progressed into the age where he was no longer a boy but not yet man, he discovered his liking for languages and an interest in people. Currently, he could speak five languages fluently, and is still looking to increase his knowledge. He was quite the charmer at all social occasions that we hosted as well. Much like myself, he was never committed to one woman, but someone finally got him wrapped around their finger, just like Rapunzel had me around hers. I admired the lady he took as his wife; she was smart and strong spirited. My son and Victoria made a smart match.

At the sound of footsteps, I looked up, seeing one of the servants searching for us. Rapunzel saw him too and summoned him over.

"Your highnesses, a letter from Princess Elizabeth." He held the paper between us, waiting for one of us to take it. I saw the glint in Rapunzel's eye before she launched herself off the chair, book falling to the floor. Mine forgotten as well, I raced to the outstretched hand, nabbing it with swift fingers before holding it high above my head.

"No! Eugene, you got to read it last time! Be fair!" Rapunzel whined while I smirked. The servant just looked at us, shocked at our display. He must have been new.

"You may leave us now, but thank you. I'm sure we'll appreciate it once Eugene actually lets me read it." She folded her arms, glaring at me, every bit the petulant eighteen year old I grew to love. I just sighed dramatically before holding it out to her. Giggling in triumph, she took it out my hands and rushed back to her chair. I beat her to it, sitting down and pulling her onto my lap. I watched as she broke the seal and unfolded the pages, the letters thick and the penmanship perfection. We raised our daughter well.

"_Dear Mother and Father_," Rapunzel began, reading it out loud. The letter went on to describe what was happening politically where she resided, updating us on everything business related before sharing her personal life with us. Rapunzel's voice was soothing while she read, telling us about the recent journey that she and her husband went on up a mountain.

"_And that's when I found out that_...oh my goodness, Eugene!" I snapped out of my trance that her voice never failed to put me in and searched her face in alarm.

"What's wrong, what happened, is Elizabeth alright?"

"Yes, she's fine. But Eugene, you're going to be a grandpa!"

At this time, I'm fairly certain that I stopped breathing and I looked a bit like Pascal with my eyes bugging out. I was too young to be a grandfather, and yet, here we were.

"I...I... wow." Was the only response I could think of. Rapunzel just laughed at my reaction before continuing to read excitedly.

"_The doctor said that I am two months into the pregnancy, but I assume by the time this letter reaches you, it will be closer to three. Keep us in your thoughts during this growing time. And congratulations future grandparents_." Rapunzel smiled.

"I'm going to be a grandmother." Her grin got bigger before it abruptly disappeared.

"What are the grandchildren to call us? I have never thought of this before, I guess I should have since both of our children are married." Her brow furrowed in thought.

"How about grandmother and grandfather?" I suggested quickly, knowing that if we didn't agree on something now, we'd have no idea three years from now.

"Oh! I never thought of that...I think that's what we'll do." She smiled at me and I smiled back in relief. Disaster adverted.

Rapunzel finished the letter, Elizabeth sent her love, folding it back up carefully but left it lying in her lap. She leaned into me, a contented sigh escaping her. I rubbed her back slowly as I thought of our youngest, Elizabeth.

She had her grandfather's light blue eyes, which came as a surprise to Rapunzel and me. They were more of a grey color in her best of moods, but the blue came out when she was troubled or sick. She was a deceitful little girl, always planning elaborate ways to get back at her brother for his pranks. She was painfully observant, not allowing anything suspicious to go by without question. This led to many of her birthday surprises being revealed before the big day, because of her persistence. Elizabeth was the polar opposite of her brother when it came to studies, very focused and hardworking to pull off spectacular grades on projects and assignments. From school she went on a trip with cousins of Rapunzel's, and that lead her to find her talent in people. She was able to read them with just a glance, assuming their entire personality and never getting it wrong. She used this skill in the wrong way for a while, manipulating people into doing things for her own twisted pleasure. When we heard about this, we made sure we put an end to her wicked ways, and instead, found a way to use her attuned skills to benefit others. This directed to her job as the ambassador of Corona, and her finding a husband that suited her perfectly. She moved out of the castle a few years ago, living with her husband in the kingdom he came from. They were hardly at their residence there due to the constant travels their job entailed, but they never complained, and always wrote back to us about her adventures.

I couldn't be prouder of the fine individuals my children turned out to be. It wasn't without the hard work, tears and stress, but everything worked out in the end. Now, I thought happily, the book of Corona will be filled with the successes the kingdom will have due to our children's work.

I felt movement on my hand, and quickly intertwined my fingers with Rapunzel's. We were silent as we watched the fire, entranced in the flames' dance.

"Eugene," Rapunzel whispered, taking her head off my chest to look me in the eye. I met her eyes, patient for what she was going to say. "We're going to decide when we go, okay?" I wasn't confused by what she meant by 'go', so I nodded immediately.

"Of course. I'm never leaving you, ever. And I can't live if you leave me. It's only logical we go together."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Falling back against my chest, I felt a sense of relief after that conversation. Now, I was never going to be without my Blondie.

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_D'awh. I love these two, at least the way I make them cornier then popping corn. :P Thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter. :D You guys are amazing. Let me know what you think about this one! _

_Love, Ella_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey ya'll. Another chapter for you this week, and it's just as long as chapter 3! Yay! This ties into the last chapter a bit, so keep an eye out for that, even though it's blatantly obvious. :P Oh, and though its apparent, the italics are of a song that you should all know. They mean singing... yeah. Enjoy! _

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**You think that I nearly lost you when the doctors tried to take you away**  
**But like the night you took my hand beside the fire thirty years ago**  
**'Til this day, you swore you'd be here 'til we decide that it's our time**  
**But it's not time, you never quit in all your life**  
**So just take my hand and know that I will never leave your side**  
**You're the love of my life, you know that I will never leave your side**

"Hey, Xavier, have you seen your mother lately?" I asked him as we exchanged smiles in the corridor. Mine was laced with worry, and I knew Xavier could sense it.

"Not recently. She told me about two hours ago that she was going for a walk."

"A walk? Did you tell her of the storm coming in?"

"I thought she knew."

Blowing out a breath, I gave my son a reassuring smile for the both of us.

"I'm sure she's okay. I'll go take a look for her."

I picked up my pace as I came towards the doors, stopping one of the maids going by.

"Florence, do you by any chance know where Rapunzel went?"

"Oh, yes, she was telling me all about it while I helped her into her coat, something about going through the woods, then to the river where the children used to play. I think she was feeling a bit sentimental today, being the anniversary of..." Florence trailed off, nervously meeting my eyes. I thanked her, not addressing her awkwardness before finding my own coat and boots.

"Marie! I'm going to find Rapunzel. If we are not back within the hour, send people out to find us. A storm's coming and I don't want her out there alone. Thank you." I demanded all of this of her while I tugged on my boots, pulling the door open with my thanks.

I started off in the direction Rapunzel would have gone. There was trail through the woods that led to the river, and that was my best guess of where she would be. She should have brought someone with her, especially in this weather. But I reasoned that I was being a bit overprotective. She was her own woman now, and had the right to some time by herself. But ever since her condition last year, it was very hard not to be overbearing.

I grimaced as I thought of the tragedy that struck the family. Rapunzel's parents had died within a week of each other last year, today being a full year since her mother died. The event struck deep with Rapunzel, having a false mother for the beginning of her life and had just gotten to trust level that a daughter should have with her mother, despite the loss of years. They had become very close; Rapunzel and the Queen, sharing stories of their lives over tea almost every afternoon without fail. When the stories ran out, they just talked about their lives presently. It seemed that no topic was off limits between the two of them. I know I was a conversation piece for the two of them many times. Today, she just wanted to escape the castle walls that held so many memories.

I had made it to the trail and started down it, looking for Rapunzel's footprints in the snow, or any indication that this is where she had gone to. I found her tracks amongst others in the snow, and they lead to the river, just like Florence had said.

I slowed when I got to the banks of the river, looking up and down carefully for Rapunzel. There was no sign of her, so I picked the direction of the bridge and started told here. There was a curve in the river, and just past this bend was an old wooden bridge that aided across the rougher rapids. It was going to be a task in the spring to reinforce the bridge.

Coming around the bend, I picked up Rapunzel's boot impressions. I followed them to the bridge, looking across it. There was a missing board, fallen out of rot I assumed. I tilted my head, looking at the splintered wood where it had been nailed in place. That was not natural. Someone had stepped on it to make it give way like that. Rapunzel was a light as a child, but with her heavy coat and boots, she could have been heavy enough to cause the board to disintegrate.

My eyes widened to what that meant. I looked down the river this time, but not along the banks. Instead, I looked along the ice that had built up on the sides, the frigid water flowing thinly underneath and between the floes. And there it was, a dark mass half submerged in the water, half sprawled on the thin ice.

"Rapunzel!" I shouted, terror gripping my heart and squeezing all rational thought. I sprinted over to the part of the river, identifying her bright red mittens as I stepped onto the ice to retrieve her. The sound of a thousand mirrors smashing had me stop and slowly bring my foot back onto the river bank. There was no way to get to her without the ice giving out under my weight.

Trying to think it through, I collapsed onto my belly, shifting forward ever so slowly. The sounds started up again, but this time it sounded quieter, subdued. I managed to risk getting my entire body on the ice, sans my lower legs. I couldn't see her breathing, but the coat made it hard to discern that.

"Rapunzel," I called, trying to jostle her out of the dream realm where she was held captive. I was far enough out that I could reach out and touch her head and shoulders. I pulled a glove off to touch her cheek, but jerked back at the icy feel. That wasn't good. I had to risk going further on the ice to get her out of the water. But that meant we would both be completely submerged if the ice broke. Shaking my head, I knew I was running out of options and time. I shifted closer to her still, the ice protesting louder the further out I got. I kept my pace steady and slow, hoping that nothing serious would happen.

When I was close enough to wrap my hands around her arms, I did just that, but remembering that I would have to get off the ice as much as I was pulling her onto it completely. Shifting my grip, I pulled her a few inches out, but shifted back with my legs at the same time. The ice made a ruckus but thankfully didn't dislodge. Breathing in and out, I repeated this process until was completely out of the water and I was entirely off the ice. Not wanting to waste another minute, I stepped on the ice, crouched down so I could lift her in my arms and take her on land. My foot sunk in the ice, making my boot fill with freezing water, but I ignored it, taking a very wet, very cold Rapunzel into my arms instead. The second I removed my soaking foot from the floe, a final snap sounded with a few seconds intermission until the ice slowly started moving down the river. I watched it for a minute, thanking my lucky stars that neither of us was on it. Looking down at Rapunzel, my heart almost stopped.

I first checked if her heart had actually stopped, and almost cried with relief at the faint and slow thump. I didn't have much time. Her skin was white as the snow around us, if taking on a bluish tinge. Her lips were the colour of the skin on blue berries, and frost gathered on her clothes and the strands of hair that managed to escape her cap. I set her on the ground carefully, stripping her of her soaking coat and mittens, biting back a curse when I saw the state of her fingers. I couldn't imagine what her feet were to look like. I pulled my coat off and wrapped her in it, making sure that her neck and hands were covered. I took off her cap and replaced it with mine, adding it to the growing pile of wet articles on the shore. I didn't want to risk taking off her boots yet, because I needed to get back to the castle still. I picked her up again easily, after the heavy articles were off and started running down the river bend.

I made it to the castle grounds in five minutes flat, yelling for help as soon as I walked through the gates. Some guards took off to alert the others in the castle, and by the time I got to the main doors, there was a party waiting for us.

I made them wait until I got into the doors and closed them before letting them start to help. With many hands made light work and I watched on nervously as they stripped her of my coat and all the soaking layers underneath. I watched her boots come off quickly, the sodden socks to follow. There was a low murmur at the state of her toes, all a blackish blue and defiantly not coming back. I winced in pain for my wife, regretting not trying to find her sooner.

They were transporting her already, some maids carrying bowls of warm water to hold her fingers in, other keeping the blanket tight or her head supported. They moved in to the main parlour, where the biggest fire place was alright bright and hot with flames. More blankets were added to her limp body and some started warming them with friction as they were laid on top of her.

Finally the bustle quieted down, one of the maids informing me that the doctor was fetched and would be with us momentary. I only had it in me to nod my acknowledgement, my eyes never leaving Rapunzel. When a few more left, I moved closer to her, studying her face carefully. Her lips were still blue and she was as still as death. But that didn't stop me from cupping her cheeks in my hands, lightly rubbing my thumbs along the red areas. I didn't know if what I was doing helped or hurt her, so I stopped rubbing and just left my hands there, hoping that it would be enough.

"Father?" I heard from the entrance way of the parlour. I looked to see Xavier there, his eyes wide like a child during a storm.

"I'm so sorry papa, I should have let her know, or gone with her. We all knew what today was and how she...I'm sorry." His voice broke, but he still held his composure, coming closer to us. Kneeling he rested his hand on what we both assumed was her shoulder, but the mass of blankets made it hard for us to tell.

We sat there for a while in silence, waiting patiently as the doctor assessed her, shaking his head and sighing heavily.

"She's going to lose all of her toes, I'm afraid, and the tips of five of her fingertips will have to be taken off as well." I shook my head. How was she going to paint with no fingertips? The doctor continued, ignored my silent disagreement. "That is, if she ever wakes up. She was in the water a long time, gentlemen. She's going to need a miracle."

I think that's when my numb exterior started to break, anger building up until I had to turn away from the doctor. He wasn't to blame, he was only the messenger, but I still wanted to punch him for giving me that kind of report. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked back to see Xavier, nodding his head in empathy. When the anger drifted away, I was overwhelmed with sadness. I bent over Rapunzel, my shoulders shaking as I silently wept. Xavier patted my back again and I heard his retreating foot falls. He was giving me a moment alone.

I wiped the tear tracks off my face and the building tears in my eyes before lifting my head to look at Rapunzel one more time.

"Rapunzel, don't do this. Don't give up today. I know you're hurting, I know you're not happy today, but please stay with me." I begged, ignoring the bowls of water and taking one of her hands in mine, clasping it tightly. "You said that we would say when we would go. That we'd go together. I'm not ready to go, and you can't go if I'm still here. I want you back with us, with your family." A few of my tears fell onto her face but I didn't bother to wipe them away. "I need you, Rapunzel, more than life itself. I'm selfish and greedy and I want you back. Don't leave me here alone. Don't quit on me Blondie. You've never quit, no matter what Gothel said to hurt you, no matter how many situations we got ourselves in. Don't leave. Please. Don't go."

Not knowing what else to do, I started singing her enchantment, much like she did for me while I was dying.

"_Flower gleam and glow. _

_Let your powers shine. _

_Make the clock reverse, _

_Bring back what once was mine_."

I was overcome with emotion, my voice no longer functioning as a tight ball in my throat threatened to explode. No longer caring, I wept every single emotion that this woman put me through.

I kept crying until I fell asleep with my head resting on her abdomen, her fingers still tight in my palms. So I missed the way my tear was absorbed into her cheek, a light glow coming off of it.

I didn't wake up again until someone prodded my shoulder. Lifting my head, I looked to see Elizabeth standing in front of me. She gave me a water smile which I returned, then looked to Rapunzel. She seemed no better than before I fell asleep, which worried me. Even her lips were still blue.

"I don't want her to leave, father. I love her too much." I looked at Elizabeth who was also looking at Rapunzel, silent tears dripping down her face. I watched her lean over and kiss her mother's cheek with a tear to follow the kiss. When she sat back up, I held my arms out for her.

Even though she was a full grown woman, and even though I gave her away to Eric two years ago, I still wanted to hold my baby girl in my arms when she cried. She didn't reject it either, weeping into my shirt with body racking sobs. It broke my already shattered heart, but I could only screw my eyes shut and hold her a bit tighter. But that was the second time I missed the tear absorption, and the slightly brighter glow. I started to sing again, unaware of what just occurred. I started from where I left off, feeling that it fit our current situation.

"_Heal what has been hurt_

_Change the fates design_

_Save what has been lost_

_Bring back what once was mine_." I couldn't finish the song. The feeling it would bring held too much finality, so I swallowed the words for my own protection.

We stayed like that for a long time, only breaking apart when Xavier and the doctor came in. We watched as he checked her vitals and her blue appendages. He shook his head, much like yesterday, but rubbed his head as well.

"I'm afraid that you should say your goodbyes now. She won't make it until the morning." Elizabeth started crying again and Xavier soon followed. I watched as Elizabeth hugged her mother one more time, my own tears forming in my eyes at the sight of such heartbreak. Xavier was next, kissing her cheek once before hugging her as well, his face buried into her neck.

Knowing this was going to be the end, and with nothing to prevent it, I finished the song with my heart torn. I couldn't bring my voice from a hoarse whisper, but the kids still heard me.

"_What once was mine."_

When Xavier pulled back, I finally witnessed the tear phenomenon. His tears that had fallen on the skin of her neck were gone in an instant. I looked on with wide eyes.

"Kids...look."

We all watched in awe as a yellow glow pulsed in her neck once before spreading, heading up into her face and under the area where the blankets covered her. Her lips shone yellow before returning to their original rosy pink, her waxy complexion getting flushed with life. Next we noticed her fingers, the one hand that was still sitting in the water catching our attention first. Her fingertips glowed, the light reflecting in the water to shine in our faces. The same event was happening with her other hand, the affected fingers glowing before blinking out, no trace of the frostbitten tissue left. Her toes were slower, but surely enough, they glimmered with the yellow light, faint at first, but growing stronger until it looked like the sun was beaming out of her feet. The warm light seemed to spread all over body, shining brighter and brighter, until it burst forth, drowning the room in a spectacle of rays that curled and looped in a breathtaking show. And then suddenly it was done, reducing quickly to nothing but a memory. We all looked at Rapunzel in hope and sure enough, her eyes fluttered open.

"Take these blankets off, it's so hot!" Her voice didn't even sound raspy.

We all started screaming, yelling, and cheering. It didn't matter to me, because all I knew that she was back with me. I knew it wasn't our time just yet.

We hadn't had our chance to shine.

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_Oh boy, aren't I a corny bastard. Anyway, because it was lovely and long, maybe some reviews, yes? :P I'll stop being a review slut now. But I would like to inform you that this is the final chapter, and whatever is posted next week is the epilogue! I know, it makes me sad too. But I will have a shout out to all the reviewers on that chapter, don't you worry your pretty little mind. :) See ya in a week. _

_Love, Ella._


	6. Chapter 6

_Alright my lovelies, this is the epilogue. I'm sad that it's over, but it was a blasty blast writing this, with all your support. :) Speaking of which, here's a thank you to all the reviewers: TheVampireChickWithNoFangz, BrittneyluvsChrist, Umbre0n, Lissa Salvatore. You are all amazing, with every one of you reviewing multiple times. Your encouragement makes my heart melt :D No words to express the thanks I have for all of you. :D For those who added this to their favourites or started following me (TheVampireChickWithNoFangz, BrittneyluvsChrist, Umbre0n, VintageViolet91, imagination-disney, and VioletLily2010), you helped me feel this story was worth someone's time. Kudos to those who made both lists ;) Now without furthur ado, here's the final chapter. _

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**You come home from work, and you kiss me on the eye**  
**You curse the dogs, you say that I should never feed them what is ours**  
**So we move out to the garden, look at everything we've grown**  
**And the kids are coming home so I'll set the table; you can make the fire**

"Eugene, I'm back!"

I grinned, marking my place in my book before going to meet her at the door. She smiled when she saw me, dropping her easel and box of paints to the ground to wrap her arms around me.

"I missed you." She hummed, combing a hand through my hair.

"You were gone for an hour Blondie."

"Still breaks my heart to be away from you."

"I know. I missed you too."

"When are the kids going to get here?"

"An hour. That gives you enough time to wash up and help me with the finishing touches on the meal, okay?"

"Okay," she kissed my cheek before picking up her paint supplies and skipping away. I grinned before I headed into the kitchen, looking at the roast ready in the oven. It was just keeping warm now, filling the house with delicious aromas. The potatoes were boiled and ready to be mashed, which Rapunzel loved to do. I thought it was a great way to get rid of the little anger that she had.

I pulled the ham out, wanting to expect it closer. One of the dogs that we had brought along whined at my feet. I looked at him, then the ham, and then my stomach after it growled again.

"We're going to be cutting it up anyway," I reasoned to myself out loud before grabbing the knife and taking off bite sized pieces for my canine friend and I. Putting the ham back before Rapunzel found out, I leaned against the counter, looking around at our latest home.

During one of our yearly trips to other kingdoms, one king suggested that we should get away from the castle and live the humble life in a cottage. Rapunzel was immediately taken by the idea, and before I knew it, we resided in this stone building for a portion of the summer. It was homey and comfortable, perfect for just the two of us to keep up and running, but large enough to invite some guests.

I smiled as the dog drooled watching me eat the piece of ham. Relieving him of his misery, I tossed the other piece to him just as Rapunzel walked back into the room. She gasped, frowning at me before shaking a finger at the dog.

"You know better than to beg for food, mister. Now, get outside." She tapped the back of his legs gently with her foot, prodding him to the back door. He whined, but other than that followed what she had ordered.

"As for you!" I raised a brow as she faced me.

"I had no part of this. I was just doing what the dog had asked of me." I defended quickly before she could say another word.

"You know he can't have the good ham. Give him the bone later, but don't give him the people food." She kept her frown on, which was rather impressive.

"I thought he was a person."

She rolled her eyes at me, the frown disappearing before swatting me away so she could get to the bowl of potatoes.

"Could you get some of the beans from the garden for me, darling?" She asked as she pounded away at the boiled spuds.

"Right away." I left her in the cottage as I followed the same path as the dog. I looked from the doorway to the yard behind the cottage, filled with every sort of food that could grow just outside of Corona. Rapunzel and I made a great gardening team, taking our time to carefully weed them and give them the right amount of water daily. Our efforts paid off since we had so much food here that we couldn't finish it ourselves.

With the beans quickly picked and washed, I brought them back to my wife for inspection. She smiled her thanks, busily adding butter and milk to the potatoes. I leaned on the counter once more, observing her quietly. It was just last winter when I almost lost her, the memory almost too painful to recall. But here she was, with the right amount of fingers and toes and no lasting repercussions of her dip in the freezing waters. She didn't even develop a cold after that, because of the magic of our tears.

We had discussed this as a family when we could talk about it without bursting into tears right away. When we described the phenomenon with Rapunzel, she also started to cry, but with a different reason. That's when I heard the retelling of my death, but with the story of how I managed to come back alive. I knew that it had to do with the song and the magic in Rapunzel's hair, but it had always been too sensitive of a subject to bring up with Rapunzel. I knew little of the details. But after she told the story about how her tear still had the magic in it, I knew that was the only possible explanation.

When we approached the reasoning why it took all of our tears to bring her back and not just one persons, she had a very reasonable excuse. The magic transferred over to me when she brought me back, but only half of what was left inside her. Then, with our children, we both had our magic resources cut down to quarters. By this point, the magic was too weak to work alone, but with the combination of the three of us and with the magic left inside of Rapunzel, we managed to heal her.

I didn't care that I barely understood how she explained it, it only mattered that she was alive and well. She seemed adamant about it, so I believed her whole heartedly.

The clatter of a buggy had me look to the front window, and sure enough I could see our children and their spouses turn their horse to the driveway.

"The children are here!" I called to Rapunzel excitedly. She placed the bowl of mashed potatoes on the table, wiping her hands on the apron that was covered in food as well as paint.

"Okay, can you-"

I cut her off, kissing her flushed mouth quickly. I pulled away to see her bewildered but happy expression, my heart beating a little faster at the sight. The fact that I couldn't possibly love her more was the only thought going through my mind. But a knock on the door with a curious "Hello?" brought me back.

"I'll set the table." I said with a smile. "You can light the fire."

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_Fin. _

_:')_

_Love, Ella_


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